A young woman is murdered, her body dumped in the river, a sad but familiar event in Georgia's capital city. But the victim was a call girl controlled by a ruthless crime boss. Could it just be chance that her clients included a senior government minister and the American manager of a multi-national energy company? And will anyone care?

Lieutenant Ramaz Donadze cares. A rebel-obsessed, mistrusted, and driven by tragic family history-he may be the only detective in the city willing to risk everything to achieve justice for the murdered woman.

For police work is tough in Georgia, a small country struggling to maintain independence from its former master, Russia, and to mend the damage caused by decades of internal strife, corruption and war.

As Donadze gets closer to the truth, the stakes build, shadowy figures emerge and people get hurt. With his safety, relationships and career threatened, Donadze must overcome powerful vested interests to expose a conspiracy, find a killer and-if he can do it-lay his demons to rest.